FO summons Indian envoy after woman killed in cross-border firing

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Saturday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J. P. Singh and lodged a protest over unprovoked ceasefire violations by the occupation forces along the Line of Control on November 2 in Bhimbar Sector.

The violations resulted in the death of 22 years old Munazza Bibi, a resident of Pakka Kotha village.

“The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws,” Director General (SA & SAARC), Dr. Mohammad Faisal said in a statement.

“The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation,” Foreign office in a press release said.

The Director General (SA & SAARC) urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement, investigate it and other incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary.

He urged that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

The Indian forces along the Line of Control and the Working boundary are continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons.

In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 2312 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the shahadats of 35 innocent civilians, while injuring 135 others.

This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India continued from the year 2017 when the Indian forces had committed 1970 ceasefire violations.